This year we have partnered with six well-known influencers who will be documenting their 2021 gardening trials and tribulations via our blog and social media channels. They will also be sharing top gardening tips and some handy advice on how to use some of our most popular products.
Earlier this month we caught up with one of our ambassadors, Daisy from gardentogarnish, to find out more about her house renovation journey.
My love of gardening and growing all started when I said goodbye to London’s city life and created a new chapter here in the Cotswolds back in 2015.
It’s a love that’s grown and Garden To Garnish was established to share my story and to inspire others; showing just how easy it all is to connect with nature, nurture plants and grow your own fruit, vegetables and salad.
I am determined to inspire others to connect with gardens and growing and to share the simplicity of it, in the hope that other people’s wellness and health will benefit, just as mine has. And, of course, you really don’t need a big space to be able to enjoy the benefits – a balcony or window box can be great places to start.
When I first started out, I found it really hard to find jargon-free guides or tips that didn’t presume any previous gardening knowledge. It was tough, but slowly I found my way through it with patience and by learning from my mistakes.
For me, gardening is about so much more than just the gardening. It’s about being mindful, having space and breathing time to reflect. At this time of year, while I’m watering the garden after a long day, it’s time for me. No screens or distractions, it’s just me and my plants.
The other thing I love is that gardening can’t be rushed. It demands patience, which is something that is slowly eroding away in society today.
My favourite plants in the garden right now are my foxgloves; grown from seed. They are in full bloom and are absolutely gorgeous. I also love my hanging baskets – which of course need plenty of watering, as well as my stunning climbing roses.
I mustn’t forget my allotment too! I took it on last year, having been on the waiting list for two years. It felt like perfect timing for me – a new project and a new challenge – to grow my own fruit and vegetables! Very sadly, around the same time as taking on my allotment, I lost my wonderful Grandpa to Covid-19, which was a real blow and terribly sad, as we were so very close. I wrote him a letter just before he died, which I know he read, to tell him about my allotment and my dream to inspire more people to get into gardening and growing their own. Taking on the allotment really helped me through the grief because it gave me such focus. There were so many jobs to do and plans to create, it really kept me going and got me through.
This year, the allotment is looking great! My tomatoes are coming on nicely, so too are my courgettes, strawberries, pak choi and brassicas. Everything’s thriving down there. Oh and my dog Ernie loves it down there too!
So, that’s my gardening story so far, but all good stories have a start, a middle and an end. And I can’t help but feel that this is just the very start of my gardening journey!
